We had 2 very interesting visitors to the Boathouse Bistro this week. Some of you may be aware of the US programme called Duck Dynasty? Michael Wilson, our Ghillie, was lucky enough to meet Si and Jep during their travels! http://ow.ly/i/6tVjJ

If you have not yet sampled the food at Jock’s Bar at the Green Hotel, then this is the ideal opportunity to try as we have just launched our new Menu. Whilst keeping some of the old favourites we have added on some exciting new dishes such as our selection of Sharing Platters.

M&M Theatrical Productions, Ayr brought the timeless pantomime Cinderella to The Green Hotel, Kinross for four afternoons and evenings over the festive period and this classic fairytale was a big hit with all ages. The ugly sisters Germolene and Vaseline kept everyone entertained with their antics and Cinderella and Princes Charming melted everyone’s hearts. The children all enjoyed the interaction with the cast (as did the adults – but I am sure they would not admit they did!!). Congratulations to Olivia Bell, Lyndsey Bennet and Ava Gray pupils at Kinross Primary School who won The Green Hotel Pantomime poster competition and they received tickets for their families to see the pantomime and also their posters were on display at the pantomime along with all the other entries. We will be confirming our Pantomimes for the 2014 season – watch this space….

One of the forthcoming big events here at the Green Hotel Golf & Leisure Resort is our amazing Shop at the Green Winter Sale. Most UK retailers hold January Sales which seem to start earlier and earlier, in some cases even before Christmas. Never one to run with the crowd, we like to be different and hold our sale in February.

This year, the sale is being held in the Green Hotel’s Loch Leven suite on Thursday 21st February between 9.30am and 6pm. Whilst the main sale itself takes place in the Loch Leven suite, sale items will also be on sale in the Shop itself near the front of the hotel.

Massive reductions will be available on Sale Day on Ladies designer clothing, bags, scarves, jewellery, Gents’ clothing, golf items and a wide range of gifts.

If you are unable to make the Sale Day itself, come in between now and the 21st and get 20% off all clothing purchases.

The other excitement is that, from the 22nd February onwards, the Shop at the Green will be showing its new Spring & Summer collections – something we all look forward to seeing!

You can also follow the Shop at the Green on Facebook for all the latest news:

A number of guests have asked about the mural which is painted on the wall of the central arched recess in Basil’s, our fine dining restaurant on the Resort.

In early 2010, we decided to create a visual centrepiece for the restaurant and decided that we should commission a mural or ‘trompe l’oeil’ . We approached artist Jonathan Humphrey and were hugely saddened to hear that he was extremely ill and not expected to live long. However, far from backing down, Jonathan offered to undertake the project as a way of keeping him occupied giving his final days a sense of purpose. Fellow artist and a dear friend of his, Jane Frere, offered to work with him on the mural and to take over when required.

Jonathan agreed with us that the mural he would create in the central archway in Basil’s would be a trompe l’oeil depicting the famous Hugel cellars in Riquewihr, Alsace. The Hugel family have been producing Alsace wine there since 1639.

The Hugel offices in Riquewihr and their famous sign

Almost all of the Hugel cellars are situated below well-preserved XVIth century buildings in the centre of Riquewihr which still form the heart of the family business. The cellars contain oak casks more than one century old, including some really big one, the most famous of which is the SAINTE CATERINE, dated 1715, which is featured in the Guinness Book of Records.

The famous Sainte Caterine oak cask dating from 1715

With the help of Jane Frere, Jonathan set out to sketch out on the wall in Basil’s the outline of the cellar and its perspective as the view disappears out into the distance. However, with the outline completed but before painting could start, Jonathan’s condition deteriorated sharply and he sadly passed away. Although it must have been very difficult for her, Jane bravely carried on to complete what Jonathan had started, seeing it as her memorial to him.

Jane Frere at work

Not only did Jane paint during the day when the restaurant was quiet but she continued into the evening, much to the delight of guests dining at nearby tables who were fascinated by both the project and the story behind it.

Nearing completion complete with depiction of the much larger Ste Caterine barrel and twin in the foreground

Jane added a number of poignant final touches to the mural. When Jonathan had been alive, his trademark in paintings had been a small mouse hidden somewhere in the scene. Jane duly painted a mouse onto the top of one of the smaller barrels in the cellar looking up and marvelling at the sheer size of the giant Sainte Caterine barrel. Then, as a personal tribute to her great friend, in the very far distance where an open door at the end of the cellar appears to open out into the sunshine, she painted in Jonathan as a small figure overlooking the vineyard and the Alsace countryside.

The trademark mouse of Jonathan Humphrey sitting on a barrel and Jonathan himself in sunshine looking out over the Hugel vineyard